A very limited variety of organic aliphatic selenium compounds, as well as methods for their preparation have been known. C. L. Jackson in Vol. 179 Ann. Chem. [1875], pp. 1-3 describes methyl-, ethyl-, and benzylselenides and their preparation. For example, in the reduction of sodium selenide with carbon, the principal product was (C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 Se.sub.2 along with smaller amounts of (C.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2 Se. Ethyldiselenide was found to be somewhat similar to methylmonoselenide.
Ethylmonoselenide was produced by Rathke Vol. 152 Ann. Chem. p. 210; Pievering, Vol. 185Ann. Chem., p. 333, by heating a concentrated solution of P.sub.2 Se.sub.5 in a complex reaction. Preparation of the end product involved the removal of the foul smelling ethyldiselenide by-product.
Other than these early publications, no evidence of other investigation in the area of organic aliphatic selenides was found.